I love cork wood flooring. It is good for the environment, and so, so beautiful. I may be biased, but I don’t think there are many people who have seen true cord wood flooring who would disagree. But like most beautiful things in life, you need to take care of it. You need to be aware of the responsibilities involved in taking care of cork wood before you decide to make the investment. The tips below will help you maintain your cork wood flooring for years to come.
Tiny particles of dirt can scratch your cork flooring, so be sure to vacuum or sweep your floor often. This should be done weekly to keep it looking smooth and shiny. One tip that can reduce the amount of vacuuming or sweeping you have to do is to place a mat at any doors that lead to a room with cork flooring. It’s not too much to ask to have visitors wipe their feet before stepping on your floor.
Use only cleaners made specifically for hardwood. Never use just water on your floor. Wipe up spills immediately, lest you risk damaging your floor. Use a well wrung, damp mop to do your mopping – not one that is saturated with liquid. Avoid harsh abrasive cleaners, oil, or ammonia-based cleaners. Lightly damp mop the floor monthly to maintain its luster.
Avoid furniture that can scratch your floor. Place floor protectors on the feet of your furniture so that they are not coming in direct contact with the floor. Use mats and wide wheels on furniture that is movable. When moving furniture, never drag it. Sorry, but you need to lift it up and carefully set it in place.
Place a rug or mat on areas of the floor that will be walked on often, such as in certain parts of a kitchen. This will prevent premature wear and keep your flooring surface looking even. However, it is best to avoid mats with rubber or non-porous backings since they can trap moisture. You want your floor to stay dry.
Try not to have too much weight on any one area of your floor. Even weight distribution will prevent indentations and help keep the surface looking shiny and even.
Aim for 50% humidity in rooms that have cork flooring. As the humidity in a room declines, wood begins to release moisture, and eventually shrink. This is bad news for your floor. You may want to invest in a humidifier to make sure your rooms stay humid enough to keep your cork flooring healthy. Cork is not as susceptible to this problem as other types of wood, but don’t take the chance.
Do not expose your cork flooring to excessive sunlight. It will make your flooring fade much more quickly. Maintain adequate shading in rooms that have cork flooring with drapes, curtains, or other sun-blocking items.
Watch out for water seepage from plants or any other entity that holds water. If your plants are seeping water, place something underneath them to catch the water before it hits your floor.
If you follow the above tips, your cork wood flooring will stay beautiful for years to come.
Archive for the ‘Flooring’ Category
How To Keep Your Cork Wood Flooring Looking Beautiful
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010Residential Home Fires
Saturday, July 24th, 2010About 82 percent of all fire deaths in 2004 resulted from home fires.fatal fires occurs at night when people are likely to be less alert. Half of home fire deaths in 1999–2002 result from fires reported between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Most structure fires are preventable.According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in the year 2004.
In 1982, wood-burning appliances accounted for more fires, more fire deaths, and greater property damage than any other kind of heating fuel — about 140,000 fires, 250 deaths and $257 million in property damage. These losses represented 20 percent of all residential fires in the U.S., 5 percent of all fire deaths, and 8 percent of estimated property damage.
CPSC research indicates that most wood heating fires involve the chimney and not the appliance itself. The majority of these fires are contained within the chimney and cause no damage to the house. The Commission is concerned, however, not only about the chimney fires that did ignite other parts of the house, but also about the potential future hazard from the continued use of chimneys whose structural integrity has been compromised by a chimney fire. This is especially true in light of the fact that many contained chimney fires are not reported to the fire services; in fact, consumers may not even be aware that a chimney fire has occurred.
Therefore, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing a special safety alert concerning chimneys used with woodburning stoves, fireplaces, and fireplace inserts. The Commission urgently warns consumers to be aware of the potential fire hazards associated with these chimneys.
Now that the nation has entered the heating season, the Commission strongly urges you, if you have a stove or fireplace, to have the chimney inspected for any damage that may have occurred in the past heating season. If it is difficult to examine the chimney, a local chimney repairman, chimney “sweep,” or dealer can help. Have any damage repaired NOW.
Most fires involving either masonry or prefabricated metal chimneys occur because of improper installation, use or maintenance. The Commission staff has identified the following common causes of fires:
1.)Improper chimney installation too close to wood framing.
2.)Installation of thermal insulation too close to the chimney.
3.)Improperly passing the stovepipe or chimney through a ceiling or wall, causing ignition of wood framing.
4.)Structural damage to the chimney caused by the ignition of creosote (a black tar-like substance that builds up inside the chimney in normal use).
5.)Structural damage to metal prefabricated chimneys that results in wood framing being exposed to excessive temperatures or leakage of potentially toxic gases to the interior of the home can take the following forms:
6.)Corrosion or rusting of the inner liners of metal chimneys.
7.)Buckling, separation of the seam, or collapsing of the inner liner of metal chimneys. (This can result from too hot a fire, especially in high-efficiency stoves and in fireplace inserts, or from a creosote fire.)
Structural damage also occurs in masonry chimneys, often associated with deterioration or improper installation of the chimney. The tile inner liner and the surrounding brick or block structure may crack and separate, perhaps as a result of the ignition of creosote that has built up in the chimney. Many old chimneys do not have a tile liner. If your chimney does not have a liner, the addition of a properly installed liner is advisable. Also, a clay liner should be sealed with refractory cement.
Even when the heating appliance is properly installed, people with either metal or masonry chimney systems should frequently check the chimney for creosote deposits, soot build-up, or physical damage. This involves only a simple visual examination, but it should be done as often as twice a month during heavy use. If you see heavy creosote buildup, suspect a problem, or have had a chimney fire, a qualified chimney repairman or chimney “sweep” should perform a complete safety inspection. They can arrange for any necessary repairs or creosote removal, which must be done before the heating appliance is used again.
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Is Underfloor Heating Difficult to Install Under a Wood Floor?
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010Thermatec electric under-floor heating system is suitable for most types of wooden flooring.
Normal methods of installing electric under floor heating systems in rooms with wooden or laminate flooring involved using cable systems covered with difficult to use and time consuming liquid leveling compounds. These tend to be messy and extend the installation time and costs because of drying and curing times. They are also far less efficient than Thermatec as they need to be run at a far higher temperature.
Flexible carbon heating film is the ideal solution for providing an economic electric under floor heating solution for a variety of floor coverings. Flexible carbon heating film is ultra thin, strong, and is a completely dry lay system for heating under laminate or timber floating wood flooring.
Flexible electric carbon heating film can be supplied made to measure to fit your room exactly. Three different widths are used (400mm, 530mm and 1003mm), and the layout is designed using C.A.D. to ensure every part of the floor area is covered. All the electrical connections are made at the factory so that the heating mat can be laid, and the wood floor fitted long in advance of the electrician providing the 230V mains connection. This makes a considerable saving in time and money. It also means you do not have to invest in crimps, presses or heat shrink tape to complete the installation.
Installation of carbon heating film requires no previous experience. Installation is completely dry and is a simple unrolling process. It can be laid over most concrete or timber sub-floors when used in conjunction with the correct Depron thermal insulation.
Flexible carbon heating element is less than 1mm thickness Even with the recommended floor insulation layer of closed cell polystyrene the floor build-up is only 6.5mm. This avoids potential problems with skirting boards and door thresholds.
Carbon heating elements are ultra reliable, safe and robust. without any moving parts,}}} they are completely maintenance free. Brands of carbon heating film like Ecofilm from Flexel International are fully approved to the relevant electrical safety standard IEC60335-2-96 and comply with the 17th Edition electrical wiring regulations. Ecofilm and Thermatec heating elements come with a 10-year guarantee.
The heating film can be used as an effective direct acting radiant heating system. It can be used as a substitute for traditional convector radiators by providing primary heat or just be used to warm a cool floor surface and provide background heat.
Flexel Carbon Heating Element has become a firm favorite with installers and users because it is simple and economic to install and efficiently creates gentle under-foot warmth that heats the entire room. This means leaving no overheated or cold spots.
Benefits include clean balanced heat distribution at the lowest possible temperature, resulting in high user comfort levels and improved economy. The heating is safe beneath any type of wood floor its radiated heat provides overall warmth and comfort without the usual dust carrying convective air currents of conventional radiator systems.
This form of heating is easily controlled by room thermostats and is particularly suited to new build, extensions, hard-to-heat areas, conservatories, hallways, kitchens and bedrooms. It becomes invaluable in many other locations where the absence of radiators is a distinct space-saving advantage.